What is Sylvia planning? Find out this chapter!
By the way, the song in this chapter is You Are Not Alone, the version performed by the X-Factor contestants of 2009. Look it up as you read. Play it as soon as the line As the intro started, she took a deep breath and began to sing comes up, okay? It'll be better if you do, trust me.
…
It was lunchtime the next day. Perry was sat at a table on his own at the back of the room when Sylvia poked her head through the curtains of the stage. She had left Nicky in the care of the receptionist, with toys to play with, though Sylvia was confident he would sleep for most of the day.
She turned to Pinky and Natasha, who were both behind her on the stage.
"Ready, guys?"
"We do have permission to do this, right?" asked Natasha.
Sylvia nodded. "Of course. I may not be an agent of OWCA but Major Monogram scares the heck out of me."
Natasha chuckled. "Me too."
"Anyway. Get your positions."
Sylvia strode out from behind the curtain and tapped her microphone, ensuring that it was on. "Hello?" Her magnified voice echoed throughout the room. "Hello, everybody. Hope you're enjoying your lunch. My name's Sylvia, and I'm an agent of the British OWCA. I'm here today as your lunchtime entertainment."
Most of the agents swivelled round to face her, interested. Sylvia hid a smirk as she saw the look that Perry was giving her from across the room: it was quizzical, embarrassed, and irritated all at the same time.
"I'm going to be singing a song for you guys today. It's written by me, especially for and dedicated to my mentor, Perry the Platypus."
A couple of agents turned round to look at Perry, who looked even more embarrassed. Sylvia prayed that this would work.
As the intro started, she took a deep breath and began to sing:
Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be that you're not here with me?
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go and leave my world so cold?
Every day I sit and ask myself: how did love slip away?
Something whispers in my ear and says:
As Sylvia went into the chorus, Pinky and Natasha emerged from behind the curtain and began singing along with her:
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to say:
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
You are not alone.
This time, Natasha sang on her own:
Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
Then Pinky sang on his own, in a voice that was surprisingly high for a dog's:
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your help
Then forever can begin
Then it was back to just Sylvia:
Every day I sit and ask myself: how did love slip away?
Something whispers in my ear and says:
All three of them sang the chorus again:
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to say:
But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone
Then the melody changed and Sylvia sang on her own again:
Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And girl you know that I'll be there
Pinky and Natasha joined in for the third line:
I'll be there
(chorus)
You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
You are not alone
You are not alone
Finally, Sylvia sang the last line on her own:
Not alone…
The agents burst into applause as the three agents on stage took a bow.
Perry was sitting in his seat, stunned. He finally understood. Throughout his grief, he had been so blind to the fact that Pinky and Natasha were helping him every step of the way. That was why they were constantly around him. Not to be annoying, but because they cared about him and didn't want him to suffer alone. And Perry had pushed them away…
He got up and walked in a daze towards the stage. All the agents looked eagerly at him as he climbed onto the stage and faced Sylvia with a still-stunned expression on his face.
Then he did something he hadn't done since Edith died: he smiled.
Sylvia's own face lit up, and in that moment Perry stopped seeing her as Edith's lookalike and began seeing her for what she really was: beautiful, talented, kind, loyal, and loving. He knew that they hadn't gotten off to the best of starts, but if Sylvia had written a song just for him, perhaps she really cared about him too.
So he took a risk and kissed her.
She seemed surprised at first but then she relaxed into it. Perry was dimly aware of all the agents applauding wildly at their best agent finally finding love again.
He couldn't have found it with a better person: Sylvia had finally healed his broken heart and helped him let go of Edith. The song You Are Not Alone actually had some lines in it that corresponded to certain parts of Perry's life. Two in particular stuck out to Perry:
You never said goodbye-Edith and Perry had not had the chance to say goodbye.
Did you have to go and leave my world so cold?-Perry's world had indeed been cold when Edith had died.
When Sylvia and Perry finally broke apart, they smiled at each other. Then Sylvia took Perry's hand and led him offstage.
"Where are we going?" Perry asked, chuckling.
"I've just realised I've left Nicky with the receptionist for an hour more than I said I would."
When they got down to reception, Sylvia gently picked up Nicky, who was shaking his rattle. Then she held him out to Perry, who, surprised, gently took the baby platypus. Nicky eyed Perry and then hit him in the forehead with the rattle.
"Nicky, we do not hit people!" scolded Sylvia.
However, all Perry did was laugh. "You really do remind me of Jimmy," he said.
"Daddy?" Nicky said quizzically.
Perry paused. Sylvia waited to see what he would say. If he said yes, then it would be pretty much establish that they were now mates. If he said no…Sylvia didn't really know what that would mean.
Perry smiled again. "Yes, Nicky. I'm your daddy."
…
*squeals extremely loudly for exactly six and a half years* EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!